A Changing Heart
by LegitElizabethWWEFan
Summary: Stella Finnily is good girl; Stu Bennett is a bad boy. He likes her; she won't even look at him. But could that change after a mixed tag team match? Can their love survive heaven & hell? Wade Barrett/OC, reuploaded, please review!
1. Chapter 1

**I'm sorry for deleting & reuploading this fanfiction- I had a lot of editing to do. Please forgive me! :)**

**This is my very first fanfiction. I will accept criticism, but I will _not_ accept hate comments. If you post a hate comment, you will be blocked.**

**This is a multi chapter story; the next chapter will be up in a day or two.**

**Enjoy!**

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A Changing Heart

Chapter 1

If Stella Finnily knew anything about Stu Bennett, it was that she couldn't stand him. He was the anti-Christ; he was everything that she refused to be. Stella was a good girl, and Stu was a bad boy- she had to run the other way.

That was what had been running through her mind since Stephanie McMahon had told her that she & Stu were going to be in a mixed tag-team match as partners- not rivals. They were going to have a match against Natalie Neidhart & T.J Wilson on _Smackdown!_ tonight. Stella was annoyed- she wanted absolutely nothing to do with the Preston native! Didn't Stephanie already know that? After the meeting about tonight's matches, however, the answer was definitely a _No_.

Stella was so caught up in her negative train of thought, she accidentally bumped into someone. To her annoyance, it was Stu.

"Watch where you're- oh, hey Stella," he said, "how are you, doll?"

"I'm fine, Stu," she replied. "I just need to go get ready for our match tonight. See you later," she said as she attempted to get to the Diva's locker room before Stu could try and interrogate her.

"Stella, wait!" Stu tried to catch up to the Kansas City Diva, but it was hopeless- Stella was practically sprinting away from him. Stu was aware that Stella didn't care for him, but he didn't realize she hated him. The only explanation he could get for her hatred was his personality. Even with that theory put in his mind, he maintained his crass, blunt demeanour; after all, he was in love with her.

When Stella's theme hit, she & Stu walked out. She waved & high-fived fans, all while continuing to ignore Stu.

* * *

"And their opponents, first; from Kansas City, Missouri- Ella Angel; and; from Manchester, England weighing in at 246 pounds- Wade Barrett!" announced Lillian Garcia, _Smackdown!_'s beloved announcer.

Natalie, a good friend of Stella's, could easily tell by Stella's fake smile that she was not excited about working with Stu. Natalie also knew that Stella had a huge crush on Stu, and that she was afraid of other people's opinions if she & Stu started to date.

The match started, with Stella & Natalie first going at it. The two women grappled, and Natalie threw Stella's head into the second turnbuckle. The referee separated the Divas, and Stella quickly gathered herself & quickly moved, causing Natalie to run into the turnbuckle. Wanting to end the match quickly, Stella attempted an Angel through the Heart, but Natalie quickly drop-kicked her. Natalie then tried to put Stella in the Sharpshooter, only to receive a swift kick to the face, causing Natalie to stumble backwards. Stella then reluctantly tagged in Stu, while Natalie tagged in her real-life boyfriend, T.J.

T.J & Stu began to grapple as well, and T.J shoved Stu away from him. Stu, seeing that T.J was running towards him, hit T.J with the Winds of Change. Stu went for the cover, only to have T.J kick out at the two count. T.J then got up to the top rope to attempt a crossbody, only to miss Stu, who rolled out of the way to tag Stella.

Natalie- who was on the apron, waiting to be tagged- tried to get T.J to tag her, but he was too far in the center of the ring to be tagged in. He got up, disoriented, only to be met with an Angel through the Heart, flattening him out completely. Stella quickly went for the cover, and sealed the victory for her & Stu.

"The winners of this match- the team of Wade Barrett, and Ella Angel!" bellowed Lillian.

The referee raised one of Stu's arms & one of Stella's arms in victory. Once he let go, Stella suddenly launched herself into Stu's arms. Stu caught her, surprised by her sudden change of attitude.

He was still reeling from his shock when she placed her lips into his for a passionate kiss.

* * *

**Thank you for reading! Please review it, and if you enjoyed it, favourite it!**

**-** _Elizabeth_


	2. Chapter 2

**This is the next chapter- please review!**

**I own absolutely nothing.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

A Changing Heart

Chapter 2

As soon as they got backstage, T.J & Natalie sprinted to their respective locker rooms. There was no way that they wanted to get caught up in some drama that they had absolutely nothing to do with. Even though they were both sore from the match, they quickly escaped what was about to unfold.

Meanwhile, Stu & Stella had finally gotten backstage. Stella didn't say anything, so Stu spoke.

"Look," he said, "I don't want you to feed me some phony excuse, like 'I was caught up in the moment', or 'I wanted to look good on TV'. You can tell me the truth- I truly don't bite."

Stella bit her tongue. She then sighed. "Stu… this is a bad time to talk. Can you please meet me at the hotel lobby in, say, half an hour? I promise I'll explain myself then," she replied.

Stu felt wary. "You're not gonna ditch me, are you?" he asked.

She shook her head.

Okay, "he said, "I'll see you then." He then left.

Stella went to the Divas locker room and found Natalie standing near Stella's things, arms crossed, tapping one foot. "So," she asked, "what did you & Stu do?"

"I told him that we'd talk about it later on tonight," Stella replied.

Natalie's jaw dropped wide open. "Oh, my God!" she exclaimed.

"I know, right? It was just a bad time to talk," Stella explained.

"Sounds fair enough," said Natalie.

* * *

Stu sat at a table in the hotel's lobby. He hoped & prayed that Stella was not going to stand him up. Then again, he knew how honest & punctual she was in the first place; hopefully, she'd be willing to continue that tonight.

He suddenly felt a tap on his left shoulder. He spun around and saw Stella standing behind him, wearing a blue dress & black heels. He cleared his throat.

"Hey," Stella said, sitting across from him.

"Hello, doll," replied Stu, a smirk toying on his lips.

Stella returned his signature smirk. She then looked at Stu seriously and said, "So, about the kiss…"

"Right," said Stu, clearing his throat a second time. "Why'd you do it? I thought you hated me?"

"It's not that," explained Stella, "It's that I have this reputation on _Smackdown!_ that I sort of have to maintain. Clearly, that kiss after our match was outside of my personality."

"So if that's the case, why'd you do it?" pressed Stu.

Stella sighed. "I like you, Stu. I realized that, as long as I'm happy, why should I have to put on an act? I want to be with _you_- I truly don't care about what other people think- I care about _you_," she confessed. Embarrassed & scared of rejection, she got up and went to the elevator, with Stu following close behind.

They entered separate elevators, and Stella refused to look at the text messages she was receiving from Stu. Once she reached the outside of her hotel room, Stu caught up with her and grabbed her hand. When she turned to face him, he kissed her. Once they broke apart, he said, "I like you too, Stella- for a while, I might add. I love your personality, and I love your courage. Will you please give me a chance?"

Stella smiled. "I would love to," she said.

"Do you want to go out with me tonight?" he asked.

"I would love to," she answered.

They kissed again, and left the hotel to go out on their first date as a new couple.

* * *

**The next chapter will be up on Sunday or Monday. Enjoy!**

_- Elizabeth_


	3. Chapter 3

**Sorry for the long wait on chapter 3; I started 2 other multi-chapter fanfictions- _I Seriously Have Feelings for You_, and _Opposite Ends on Love_. Check them out if they interest you.**

**Special thanks to Reneesella & Nexusgurl450 for reviewing chapter 2! It means so much to me!**

**I have a poll on pairings for Stu Bennett/Wade Barrett; please vote on it! Voting closes in May.**

**I own absolutely nothing related to the WWE.**

**Anyways, please read & enjoy! :D**

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A Changing Heart

Chapter 3

Stella woke up the next morning in her hotel room. The memories of her date with Stu flooded her brain. They had gone out to dinner at some nice restaurant- she couldn't remember what the name of it was. They both had a great time, and the food was quite delicious.

She turned to look at the clock to find out what the time was; it read 7:00 am. She got up to have a shower, only to notice that there was a note posted in the bathroom door. It read:

_Stella-_

_I had an amazing time on our date last night. If you like, we can go out for breakfast in the morning. Just text me if you're up to it & when you're ready, and I'll be there._

_Stu_

She smiled as she read the note. When she finished reading it, she put the note in a small compartment of her luggage, and then she got her shower.

When she was finished and dried off, she blow dried & straightened her golden blonde hair, then she put on a little bit of make-up. She went through her luggage and put on her favourite black shorts and a red T-shirt that has lace of the shoulders, along with her white sandals. She texted Stu a reply in regards to his note:

_Ready when you are. I'll be waiting for you in the lobby._

She sent the text and left for the hotel lobby, grabbing her hotel key & purse as she left the room.

* * *

Stu was combing her hair, making sure he looked presentable for Stella. He smiled when he thought about how he left that in Stella's room. It wasn't necessarily something that he'd normally do for a woman, but with Stella, things were different. He couldn't explain why; he was just more than willing to go the extra mile for her. He cared about her _that_ much.

His train of thought was interrupted by his cell phone vibrating loudly in his pocket. He grabbed it out and saw that Stella had texted him; that meant she had read his note. He read the text, and then replied with:

_I'll be there in a moment. See you in the lobby, doll._

He sent his reply. Before he could put his phone back in his pocket, he suddenly got a phone call- and it wasn't Stella who was calling. It was Elizabeth Carolan, his ex-girlfriend. Even though he didn't want to, he answered.

"Hello?"

"What is this that I'm hearing going on between you & Stella? You two are actually _dating_?" Elizabeth shrieked angrily.

He sighed, annoyed that she wasn't taking the news well. "Yes, Elizabeth, we're dating. Why on Earth do you care? Is there a problem?" he asked sarcastically, smirking.

She could hear him smirk over the phone; this only angered her more. "Yes, there is a problem! Look, you were wrong to leave me. Phil & I are done- for good. I can't live without you! Please come back to me!" she pleaded.

Stu winced at the memory of finding that she & Phil Brooks were sleeping together while they were dating. Somehow, he quickly regained his composure and said, "Well, you're gonna have to learn how to live without me. I'm with Stella now."

Before Elizabeth could say anything in response, he hung up and turned his ringer on silent. The last thing he wanted was to be forced to deal with his now angry ex-girlfriend. He was done with everything; he was completely done with her & her unnecessary drama that she caused.

He grabbed his hotel key, his wallet, and then left his hotel room to meet with Stella for breakfast. That was something that he was definitely looking forward to doing.

* * *

**There's chapter 3! The next chapter will be up in a couple days.**

**Please review, and stay tuned for chapter 4! :)**

_- Elizabeth_


	4. Chapter 4

**Here's chapter 4 of this fanfiction! :)**

**I own nothing that relates to the WWE.**

**Read & enjoy! :D**

* * *

A Changing Heart

Chapter 4

Stella sat in the lobby, waiting for Stu. She sighed and turned to stare at the clock that was in the lobby.

All of a sudden, a pair of hands blocked her vision. As plenty of scary scenarios flashed through her mind a mile a minute, a voice soon erased all of her fears.

"Hello, gorgeous."

She spun her head around, and saw that Stu was behind the silly act. She playfully smacked his arm.

"You scared me!" she exclaimed with mock annoyance.

"Sorry about that, doll," he said sweetly, kissing her forehead.

"It's okay. How was your sleep?" the Kansas City native asked.

"Alright- you?" he asked as he tucked some of her blond hair behind her right ear.

"Good- now, let's go get breakfast," she said, realizing how hungry she truly was.

The two went to get breakfast from the hotel's buffet table. Once they got their food, they sat down in the dining room and ate, all while making small talk & enjoying one another's company.

* * *

Natalie loudly knocked a few times on the door of Stella's room. She had absolutely no idea where her friend was, and she was beginning to get panicky.

"She's not there."

Natalie turned to her left and saw Heath Miller standing behind her, outside his hotel room.

"Do you have any idea where she is?" Natalie asked.

He shook his head. "My only guess is that she's with Stu. He told me yesterday that they were gonna have breakfast together," he revealed.

"Okay- thanks, Heath," she replied before she rushed downstairs.

* * *

She made it to the lobby, and saw that Stella was saying goodbye to Stu, who was heading out to hang out with some friends. Natalie ran to her friend.

"Hey Nattie!" Stella greeted, only for her smile to fade when she saw her friend's face.

"Elizabeth found out about you & Stu; she's pissed," the Calgary native announced, worried.

Stella quickly did a double take. "Get outta here- how does she know?" she asked.

Natalie shrugged. "I have no clue whatsoever. I didn't tell her, though."

"I gotta talk to her," Stella said suddenly.

Natalie laughed. "You can't be serious."

But Stella didn't laugh with her friend; instead, she walked over to the elevator to go and explain herself to Elizabeth. Natalie tried to stall her, but Stella didn't care- she had to explain herself before something bad happened between her & the Glamazon.

* * *

**There ya go! Hope you enjoyed it! :)**

**The next chapter will be up by Thursday at the _latest_.**

**Please review, and stay tuned for chapter 5! :D**

_- Elizabeth_


	5. Chapter 5

**Here's chapter 5- anoother cliffhanger! Again, I couldn't resist. :D**

**I own absolutely nothing about the WWE.**

**Read & enjoy! :D**

* * *

A Changing Heart

Chapter 5

Elizabeth slowly brushed her hair, silently fuming while doing so. She couldn't believe that Stu had chosen _Stella Finnily_ over her. In his eyes, the "Angel of the WWE" was a better choice than her, the "Glamazon"? _Yeah, right,_ she thought bitterly. She bit her lower lip.

_Knock. Knock. Knock._

She heard the knock coming from her door and walked over to it. She got on her tiptoes and looked into the peephole.

It was Stella.

"What do you want?" Elizabeth snarled.

Stella sighed. "I just want to explain myself," she replied nervously.

Reluctantly, Elizabeth unlocked the door & opened it. She then let the other woman in- even though her gut told her that it wasn't a good idea. Stella sat on a nearby bed.

"I know that there's a big chance that you hate me right now. Honestly, though, I don't blame you- if I were you, I'd be angry, too," Stella began.

"You're right- I _do_ hate you right now. I know that I cheated on Stu- you probably already knew that, though- but I still care about him," Elizabeth explained.

"But Stu's a great guy; if you _do_ care about him, then why did you cheat on him in the first place?" asked Stella.

The Polish descendant's eyes narrowed ever so slightly. "Truthfully, I couldn't tell you why," she said after a moment of silence.

"I don't want to anger you more, but that doesn't make any sense to me. Could you please explain what you're trying to say?" Stella asked innocently.

Elizabeth stared at Stella in shock. She couldn't comprehend Stella's behaviour. Shouldn't Stella be gloating, rubbing her relationship with Stu in her face? How could she be so nice- and so _considerate_ of her feelings? Everything stunned Elizabeth- but she wasn't buying it for a split second.

"You know what? Fuck that shit; I need to know why you're being fake," she spat.

Stella did a double take.

"Excuse me?" she asked.

"You're acting like this whole situation is no big deal! Stu left _me_ for _you_! _I_ deserve him- not you! What in God's name is wrong with you?" Elizabeth cried.

Stella stood there, silent. Finally, she replied:

"You don't understand- I _do_ care. I'm aware that he left you, but you cheated on him. If I was him, I would have left you, too. He _chose_ to break up with you- I had absolutely no say about that. As a matter of fact, I didn't even care for him until recently. As for what's wrong with me… _I_ don't even know. Personally, I don't think there's anything wrong with me. But I guess we'll never see eye-to-eye about this- we'll just have to agree to disagree. I have to go now. Bye."

Her voice cracked at the end of her speech. She soon left before Elizabeth went over to beat the living crap out of her.

Elizabeth stood near a mirror as she tried to process what Stella had just revealed. _Why did I act like a complete bitch? She's so nice to me, and to everyone she associates with. She didn't deserve to be on the receiving end on my rant- _Stu _did. When I find him, I'm gonna give him a piece of my mind,_ she thought angrily.

_Knock. Knock. Knock._

She suddenly became nervous. _Oh, shit, she didn't actually leave,_ she thought. After a little bit of hesitation, she opened the door.

It was her best friend- Natalie "Nattie" Neidhart.

* * *

**There ya go! Hope you enjoyed it! :)**

**The next chapter will be up sometime next week.**

**Please review, and stay tuned for chapter 6! :D**

_- Elizabeth_


	6. Chapter 6

**Here's chapter 6! Sorry for not having this up earlier... I've been busy with school & other fanfictions.**

**I own nothing about the WWE.**

**Read & enjoy! :)**

* * *

A Changing Heart

Chapter 6

Natalie cut right to the chase.

"What the hell did you do?" she accused.

"I bitched out Stella… but I didn't mean to! It just… happened!" Elizabeth exclaimed.

"Bullshit," the Anvilette shot out, "You _meant _it- and you know it."

"But… I'm sorry about what happened… she didn't deserve it," Elizabeth stammered.

"So why'd you do it?" asked Natalie.

"I just let my emotions get the best of me," Elizabeth explained, remorse heavily laced in her voice.

Natalie shook her head, disappointed with her best friend.

"You really need to learn how to keep your emotions in check," she remarked.

Elizabeth sighed, annoyed that they were getting nowhere.

Natalie could easily read the look on her best friend's face.

"Just apologize," she softly offered.

"But she's with _my _ex-girlfriend! And _I _want him!" the Glamazon shrieked. She hated yelling at Natalie, but she wanted to get her point across.

"Maybe cheating on him with Phil-"

"_I know that! _Holy fuck, Nattie, what page are you on?"

"I take it Stella said the same thing to you earlier?"

"_Yes_," Elizabeth spat through gritted teeth.

Natalie sighed, exhausted & frustrated with her friend's childish anger.

"That's it, I'm leaving," she said.

"But-" Elizabeth started.

"When you've calmed down and you're ready to talk- without yelling at me- let me know," Natalie said defiantly. She quickly left.

Elizabeth didn't say anything else. She deserved Natalie leaving her like that. She had treated her friend like shit- Natalie didn't deserve it.

Elizabeth sat down in a nearby chair, hoping to calm herself down. She wanted to continue to talk to Natalie- but only when she was calm again.

* * *

Stu walked down the hallway, on his way to Stella's hotel room. He had called her earlier to see how she was. She had told him that she was fine, but her voice sounded somewhat shaky. He decided to check on her to see if she really was "fine".

He let himself him with a hotel card key that Stella had given him earlier. He went in and found her sitting on the bed. To Stu, she seemed withdrawn. He closed the door behind him and sat down beside her. He lightly kissed her cheek.

"What's wrong, love?" he asked gently.

Stella looked at him. She adjusted her position and sighed.

"Your ex-girlfriend screamed at me earlier this morning. Did you tell Elizabeth about us?" she replied.

He shook his head.

"Then that means one of two things have happened. Either someone else told her- Nattie swore to me that she didn't tell Elizabeth whatsoever; or she just figured it out on her own," she explained.

"I'm so sorry… I should've warned you," he said.

"It's not your fault, babe… Elizabeth just needs to learn how to move on," she responded.

He pushed some of her golden blonde hair out of her blue eyes. He kissed her, hoping that would make her feel somewhat better.

"I know another way you can make me feel better," she said, her voice suddenly sounding very coy.

Stu immediately had a concerned look on her face.

"Are you _sure_ you wanna do this?"

"I'm sure," said Stella.

"I thought you were an angel?" he asked, surprised.

She gave him his signature smirk.

"Even angels misbehave," she whispered, hoping that she would be able to tease him ever so slightly.

He returned the smirk, anticipating what was about to happen.

* * *

Natalie walked down the hallway, angry & upset. She had been trying to get a hold of Stella ever since she left Elizabeth's hotel room. So far, Stella had not yet answered any of Natalie's calls or texts.

She was so focused on getting a hold on her friend that she accidentally ran into someone. She dropped her phone and landed on her back.

"Jesus Nattie, you've gotta learn to watch where you walk."

It was T.J.

"Sorry," she said as she picked up her phone and got up, "I just have a lot on my mind."

"So it's _not_ because you're blonde?" he teased.

Normally, she would've laughed. But she wasn't in the mood. Instead, she just grinned.

"So, what's on your mind?" he asked. "You can tell me while we walk back to our room."

As they walked, Natalie told T.J what had happened between her & Elizabeth, and how she was trying to talk to Stella.

Once they were outside the room and she had finished speaking, he said angrily, "I know she's your friend… but what a bitch."

"I have no clue what to do… and on top of that, I _still _can't get a hold of Stella!" she exclaimed, frustrated.

"Oh, she's having sex with Stu," T.J said casually.

Natalie's jaw dropped.

"How do you know?" she asked after taking a second to collect herself.

"I saw Stu enter the room. A while after he entered, Stella put a _Do Not Disturb_ sign on the door handle," he informed his girlfriend like it was no big deal.

She sighed. "_That _explains everything."

T.J grinned.

"Babe, why don't you & I go inside and relax? You seem stressed…" he trailed off.

Natalie smirked as he led her into their room. Before they did anything, however, she put a _Do Not Disturb_ sign on the door handle.

* * *

**There ya go! I hope you enjoyed it. :)**

**The next chapter will be up sometime next week.**

**Please review, and stay tuned for chapter 7! :D**

_- Elizabeth_


	7. Chapter 7

**Here's the latest for this fanfiction! Sorry for not updating earlier- I started two new fanfictions, so I was busy with those.**

**I own absolutely nothing related to the WWE.**

**Read & enjoy! :)**

* * *

A Changing Heart

Chapter 7

Stella & Stu laid on the bed side-by-side, naked & completely exhausted. They had just finished having sex, which still shocked Stu. He always thought that Stella was someone who was good; who wouldn't have sex until she got married. He hoped & prayed that he hadn't unknowingly forced her into something she didn't want.

"You alright?" he asked.

She finally caught her breath and looked Stu dead in the eye.

"Yeah, I good. By the way… that was amazing," she replied.

He smirked.

"I can agree with that. You sure you wanted to do that?"

She rolled over onto her stomach and rested her head on one hand.

"Of course! Don't let my whole 'angelic' persona fool you. I have quite the wild streak if I do say so myself," she explained.

"Makes sense," he replied, sarcasm dipping from his tone of voice.

"Watch it," she warned him, smacking his arm.

He rolled his eyes. "Brat."

She laughed as she laid back down on her back.

He got on top of her, making sure he minded his weight. He slowly kissed her lips, and felt himself getting hard yet again. Stella took notice of this fact.

"Someone's easy to please," she teased.

He growled ever so softly. "Are you suggesting…"

"Let's do it again," she exclaimed, cutting him off.

"Why not?" he said. If she wanted to do it, why should he say no?

* * *

Natalie quickly put her clothes back on- white track pants, red tank top, white hoodie, and yellow flip flops. She was hoping that she could now find Stella- but T.J had other ideas for the Calgary native.

"C'mon, Nattie," he whined in protest, "relax. If something was really wrong, I'd like to think that she would try to find _you_."

"But she doesn't know that I tried to talk to Elizabeth. I really need to tell her," Natalie replied.

He sighed, knowing that she wasn't going to change her mind anytime soon.

"Alright, I give up. Go ahead and find her. But please don't be long."

She immediately left the room. She walked over to Stella's room and knocked on the door loudly & quickly.

"Who is it?" called out Stella.

"It's me, Natalie… and it's extremely important," Natalie replied.

There was a brief silence on the other side. She strained to hear anything, but all she heard was low whispers.

"Give me five minutes," said Stella.

"Alright," said Natalie.

After a while, Stella appeared at the door. Her hair was a bit messy, and she was wearing pink track pants & a pink sweat shirt, with the hem of a white shirt peeking out. Natalie was surprised- Stella wasn't necessary one to wear sweats.

"Is Stu with you?" asked Natalie.

"Yes," he called out. He was standing near the foot of the bed, wearing only his boxers & a white undershirt.

"Can I steal your girlfriend from you for a while?"

"Sure… just don't do anything to her," he replied with a huge, playful smirk on his face.

"Obviously, you jackass," Natalie replied like a smartass.

Stella put on her black flip flops and laughed with Stu. She then left with Natalie.

* * *

The two women walked outside to the nearly deserted hotel pool. They took a seat at a patio table.

"What's going on?" asked Stella, who was now smoothing her hair down with her hands.

"I talked to Elizabeth," Natalie blurted out.

Stella eyes grew wide. "What happened?"

Natalie relayed the entire conversation that she had had with the New York native to Stella.

"Oh, my gosh," Stella remarked once Natalie finished speaking. "What are you going to do now?"

That part hadn't dawned on Natalie just yet. She thought for a moment.

"I have no frickin' idea," she declared.

"Look, let's not worry about it right this second, okay?" asked Stella.

Natalie suddenly had a mischievous grin on her face.

"What?"

"T.J told me that you & Stu were having sex. Is it true?" Natalie asked curiously.

Stella began to blush violently. "Um… well… yeah, we did."

"Oh, my God! I can't believe you!"

Stella suddenly looked timid.

"Are you mad?"

Natalie shook her head.

"She may not be angry, but _I _am!" shouted a familiar voice.

It was Elizabeth, who had been standing near a trunk of used towels the entire time. Natalie & Stella had both failed to notice this.

Stella abruptly stood up.

"Elizabeth… can't we talk later… please?" she pleaded sweetly.

"She's right," Natalie added, "you need to calm down before you kill someone."

"I can't believe you fucked Stu!" Elizabeth cried. Tears streamed down her face as fast as Niagara Fall, and her face had become quite red. "I demand an explanation- _now_."

Stella closed her eyes and took a deep breath, knowing that she had a hell of a lot of explaining to do.

* * *

**There ya go! I hope you enjoyed it! :) ****I know I'm going to get hell for ending this chapter on a cliffhanger, but too bad; life's like that. ;P**

**The next chapter will be up sometime next week.**

**Please review, and stay tuned for chapter 8! :D**

_- Elizabeth_


	8. Chapter 8

**Sorry for not updating earlier- I had a minor bout of writer's block, and then I began to procrastinate for no reason. But I actually _felt_ like writing a chapter for this fanfiction- and I wasn't about to let the oppritunity disappear.**

**A little warning beforehand: this chapter is a lot darker than I had anticipated- hence the sudden M rating. So remember- if you don't like it, don't read it.**

**ALSO: I need reviews on my fanfiction _iPod Shuffle Challenge_- there won't be an update until that occurs. So check it out after reading this! :)**

**I own nothing from the WWE.**

**Anyways, read & enjoy! :D**

* * *

A Changing Heart

Chapter 8

"I'm sorry, Elizabeth… I didn't want you to find out this way," began Stella.

"I think you need to get your head check, Finnily- I call bullshit," Elizabeth snarled, staring at the golden-haired woman.

"Take some deep breaths. Stella, can I talk to Elizabeth privately?" Natalie asked nervously.

Stella nodded and went into the lobby without a word.

"Nattie, this doesn't concern you. Why the hell are you protecting her?" Elizabeth asked once Stella was out of earshot.

"She's my _friend_- and _you're_ my friend, too. Look, Stella's not a bad person. I think you're having a very hard time letting everything go," Natalie replied.

Elizabeth covered her face with her hands. She knew that the Calgary native was right- she needed to accept that she and Stu were never meant to be. Besides, Stella would be a better girlfriend to him than she would ever be. But she couldn't let go.

From a nearby window, Stella was watching the whole incident unfold right before her eyes. Though she couldn't hear a word from either woman, she was able to see their lips move. It was too bad that she couldn't read lips. But what caught her attention more were light purple-bluish marks around Elizabeth's neck. Stella caught her breath, surprised by this shocking sight. She left the lobby and walked back to where Natalie and Elizabeth were sitting.

Before either woman could speak, Stella asked, "How did you get the marks on your neck?"

As soon as Stella said that, Natalie took notice immediately. "Oh, my God, Elizabeth! What happened?" she asked in shock.

The Buffalo native looked at the two Divas as tears began to pool in her beautiful blue eyes. She ran one hand along her scars, wincing slightly from the memory of how she got them.

"Who did this to you?" asked Natalie.

Elizabeth shook her head, refusing to divulge anything.

"Did Phil do it?" asked Stella.

Elizabeth nodded in response as tears began to trickle down her face ever so slowly. She was ashamed that she had kept this secret for as long as she did. Even though she had managed to leave the Chicago native for good, he was still employed in the WWE on _Raw_- the same brand that she was on. She knew that he could find her and hurt her if he felt like it.

"When we first got together, he was so kind to me. He took me out to nice places, brought me flowers, you name it. But after Stu discovered our relationship- and _after _he left me- the hell began. I truly thought that I was gonna die," she said through her tears.

"What did he do to you?" questioned Stella.

Elizabeth wiped away her tears and sighed. "He punched me, kicked me, banged my head against any hard surface; countertops, floors, you name it. He also threw me against walls, raped me in hotel rooms or in his own locker room… that's all I can remember," she revealed.

Natalie began to tear up. "I'm so sorry, Elizabeth… I should've noticed something- _anything_," she apologized tearfully.

"Don't be… I hid _everything_, Natalie- I didn't expect anyone to realize it at first glance. I didn't think that anyone would believe me if I told them. Maybe this is why I'm so angry."

"_I_ believe you, Elizabeth," said Stella. "When I was studying in university, I was in an abusive relationship with a guy from my university for almost four years. I wish that I had left him earlier. You're lucky that you were able to get away from Phil before he tried to kill you."

Both women's eyes grew wide almost immediately.

"What the hell is going on?"

The women turned to the door of the pool, only to see that it had been T.J who had asked the question. He was standing right outside the door with Stu. But both men soon raced over when they saw all of the women crying.

Stella and Natalie explained everything that Elizabeth told them. Elizabeth was far too upset to talk; instead, she just let T.J hug her and comfort her.

"Stella… how did you leave _your_ abusive boyfriend?" asked a crying Elizabeth.

"I didn't- the police ended it. He tried to stab me after I attempted to break things off with him. My roommate walked in on the incident, and sprinted out to call the police. The doctor said that I was stabbed approximately thirty times. He's been in jail ever since." Stella paused and stood up. She then lifted up her shirt and revealed all the old stab wounds that covered her torso. This caused gasps and more crying to occur. Stella put her shirt back down and sat down on Stu's lap.

"That explains why you never wear clothes that show you bare torso," T.J said.

"Right," said Stella, "but please, don't feel sorry for me. The experience taught me how to persevere, how to stay determined, and to not hide anything that could possibly be wrong. I've always tried to find positivity in every situation- good, bad, or indifferent."

"You're the strongest girl I've ever met," Elizabeth, Natalie, Stu, and T.J said at the exact same time. Once they realized that that had happened, everyone- including Stella- laughed. This managed to release some of the sadness and tension that had built up.

"Thanks," Stella replied once the laughter had died down.

"So what's gonna happen now?" Elizabeth asked timidly.

"We need to tell Vince _everything_. You're gonna have to do it- but I'll come with you" Stella answered.

"I'll come as well," said Natalie.

As everyone was leaving the pool, Elizabeth quickly pulled Stella aside.

"I'm so sorry for lashing out at you earlier. You didn't deserve it," she said.

"It's okay, Elizabeth… I honestly don't blame you for being angry at me," Stella replied.

"And one other thing; thank you for helping me… and for supporting me."

Stella smiled. "You're welcome, sweetie."

The women hugged before heading inside.

That night, Elizabeth laid in bed wide-awake, fighting for sleep to come to her. She was extremely relieved that she had finally come out with the truth to someone. She was also glad that she had been able to make amends with Stella- someone who knew full well of what she was going through. But Elizabeth knew that she still had to reconcile with Stu sooner, rather than later.

Exhausted by the events that had occurred that day, she managed to finally fall asleep, hopeful for what was going to take place tomorrow.

* * *

**There ya go! I hope you enjoyed it! :)**

**The next chapter will be up sometime next week.**

**Please review, and stay tuned for chapter 9! :D**

_- Elizabeth_


	9. Chapter 9

**This is the final chapter of _A Changing Heart_. I wasn't planning on ending it now, but I truly couldn't think of anything else to add. I hope you have had a lot of fun reading this story... because I've _definitely _enjoyed writing it! :)**

**In addition, I'm changing to rating from M to T, to increase the amount of readers I get. I don't think that this fanfiction is _that_ inappropriate. After all, it's up to _you_ to choose whether you want to read it or not.**

**I have a poll about this fanfiction on my profile. It's quite important, so I suggest you vote on it. It would mean a lot! :)**

**I own nothing about the WWE.**

**Read & enjoy! :D**

* * *

A Changing Heart

Chapter 9

Stella woke up early next morning, determined to keep her promise to Elizabeth. She quickly got ready, throwing on a pink and white polka dot skirt, a white lace t-shirt, and white strappy heels. She texted Natalie and Elizabeth the same thing:

_I'm ready when you are._

"Someone looks gorgeous."

Stella put her phone on her dresser and turned to look at Stu. He was still lying in bed with the covers still on him. His eyes were open, showing that he was wide-awake.

"Thanks, babe," she replied, walking over to sit on the bed. She laid beside him, facing the black-haired man. He soothed her cheek with one hand.

"I'm sorry that you were with a pathetic excuse of a man," he said kindly.

"Why are you sorry, Stu? It wasn't _your _fault. We didn't even know each other when I was with him," she replied.

"Is he the reason why you ignored all of my advances in the first place?" he wondered out loud.

She nodded. "I grew tired of making the assumption that you would be just like him because it wasn't fair to you. That's why I finally decided to give you a chance- and I'm glad I did. Otherwise, I never would've known how great of a guy you are."

He smiled warmly, happy that she had taken that chance, and that he had been able to prove her assumption wrong.

"I'm glad, doll," he replied.

The couple were unexpectedly interrupted by Stella's phone, which was now vibrating on the wooden dresser. She got up from the bed and read her text from Natalie.

_Elizabeth and I are ready. We're in the lobby._

"I gotta go talk to Vince. I'll see you tonight," said Stella.

"Alright, love. Be safe," Stu replied.

"I will," she replied. She kissed him on the cheek, grabbed her purse, and left.

* * *

Elizabeth, Natalie, and Stella sat in a restaurant to have breakfast. Stella and Natalie were eating just fine, but Elizabeth had hardly eaten anything.

"For God's sake, Elizabeth, you need to eat _something_," Natalie pleaded.

"Sorry, Nattie… I'm just nervous," said Elizabeth, taking an apprehensive bite out of her hashbrowns.

"I understand, sweetie. But you _need _push your fears down and pull out your inner strength. Besides, I might try to steal your bacon," said Stella.

"Oh, I'm sorry- did you say you wanted a Glam Slam?" Elizabeth asked sarcastically.

The other women laughed, but they all stopped laughing when Phil entered the restaurant, hand-in-hand with Eve Torres. As soon as they found a seat, Phil quickly left the building to take a phone call. Each woman could tell that the Denver native had a large bruise on her left arm, and she seemed to be on edge.

"I need to talk to Eve," said Elizabeth. She put her fork down and walked over to the _Raw_ Diva. Natalie and Stella watched, too stunned to move.

"Hey, Eve," Elizabeth greeted cautiously, taking a seat at her table.

"Hi," Eve whispered. She briefly looked the Buffalo native before looking back down at the table.

"Is Phil hurting you?" Elizabeth asked.

Eve stared at her. "Excuse me?"

"Is Phil hurting you?" Elizabeth repeated.

Eve sighed. "Yes. What gave it away?"

"How you look, and how you've been acting since you've entered. Believe me- I was in your shoes a while ago," Elizabeth admitted sadly.

"Oh, my God," breathed Eve, speechless.

"Natalie and Stella are coming with me to talk to Vince. I think you need to come, too."

Eve nodded, grabbing her purse. She quickly pulled out a pen from her golden brown top-handle tote and scribbled something on an unused napkin. The four women soon left to do what they needed to do.

Phil re-entered the restaurant and soon noticed that his new girlfriend had vanished. He soon found this note:

_Phil,_

_Vince called me. He wanted to discuss my match tonight with Stella, Nattie, and Beth. I promise I'll make it up to you tonight._

_Love,_

_Eve XOXO_

* * *

After Phil had breakfast, his phone rang. It was Vince McMahon.

"Hello?" Phil answered.

"Phil Brooks? You need to come down to my office- _now_," Vince responded sternly.

"Okay," the Chicago native replied, but Vince had already hung up.

Phil drove up to the stadium and knocked on Vince's door. "It's me," he called out behind the door.

"Come in," Vince replied.

Phil entered the office and closed the door. He was greeted by not only Vince, but also Stella, Natalie, Eve, and Elizabeth. The WWE Champion froze when he noticed that Eve and Elizabeth had been crying.

"I've been told by these ladies that you've physically and sexually abused both Elizabeth and Eve. Is this true?" Vince asked directly.

Phil sighed and ran a hand over his face and his head. He always knew that Elizabeth was going to expose him sooner or later. He also knew that she would convince Eve to do the same damn time. Why Natalie and Stella were there with them he didn't know- and frankly, he could've cared less.

"Yeah… so what? What the fuck are you gonna do?" he snapped.

"You're fired- _and _you're under arrest. I need your WWE Championship- _now_," Vince replied angrily.

Phil handed it over as a police officer entered and quickly handcuffed the now former WWE Superstar. Before he could try and protest what was happening, he was led out of the building.

"What is he being charged with?" Natalie asked.

"Two counts of rape, and two counts of domestic violence," Vince answered. He then left his office to deal with the authorities.

Eve turned to Elizabeth. "I just want to thank you… for _everything_," she said tearfully.

"Oh, don't thank _me_. You have to thank Stella- _she's _the one who noticed _my _scars," said Elizabeth.

Stella grinned. "It was nothing, really," she said, "I just wanted to do the right thing. No woman deserves to go through that kind of hell."

For the first time in a while, Eve smiled. "You're an absolutely _amazing_ person, Stella."

"Thanks," she replied as they all hugged.

* * *

That night, the tag team match between Eve and Elizabeth versus Stella and Natalie took place in a packed stadium in Seattle, Washington on _Raw_ _Supershow_, since each team were from opposing brands.

Eve and Natalie began the match, grappling before Natalie was shoved onto the mat by the hair. Eve kicked her in the stomach a few times, causing Natalie to be lying on the mat. With that advantage, Eve performed the Bootysault. She went for the cover, only to have Natalie kicked out at the one count.

Natalie crawled towards Stella, hoping to tag her partner in, but Eve drop kicked the Calgary native's back before tagging in Elizabeth. Elizabeth applied the Sleeper hold, thinking that that would make her best friend tap. Unfortunately, Natalie managed to untangle herself from the submission and quickly tagged in Stella.

Stella immediately went to work, clotheslining the hell out of her opponent. While Elizabeth was kneeling down on the mat, trying to recover from all the clotheslines, Stella went over and elbowed Eve in the face, causing her to fall off the apron. But as soon as Stella turned around from the turnbuckle, Elizabeth dragged her into the middle of the ring by her arms and hair, and soon positioned her for the Glam Slam. But just as she went up in the air, Stella applied the Sleeper on Elizabeth, forcing the blonde-haired woman to let go out her opponent. Stella released the Sleeper and swung her legs around and pulled off a bulldog. As soon as Elizabeth stood up, Stella performed her finishing move, An Angel through the Heart, flattening out Elizabeth. She quickly pinned Elizabeth and soon got the three count to pick up the win for her and Natalie.

"Here are you're winners- Natalya, and Ella Angel!" Justin Roberts bellowed as the audience roared with cheers and applause.

The two women hugged, happy that they had won. Once they broke apart, Natalie helped Elizabeth up, while Stella brought Eve into the ring. They all shook hands with each other before hugging as happy tears coming down all of their faces. Even though Stella and Natalie had won the match, it was Elizabeth and Eve who had won. They had managed to put an end to Phil's unforgiving abuse. To all of the women, _that_ was better than winning a match.

* * *

Elizabeth walked into Catering, sore from her match. She was dressed in light blue boyfriends, a green and black plaid t-shirt, a black blazer, and black ballet flats. She was waiting for Eve, Natalie, and Stella to finish changing in the Diva's locker room.

Out of the corner of her left eye, she noticed Stu sitting at a nearby table. He was reading the newspaper and drinking a large coffee. Reluctantly, she grabbed her duffel bag and sat across from him.

"I've been wanting to talk to you for a while," she announced to him.

He looked up. When he saw that it was Elizabeth, he carefully set his newspaper down. "I assume you're apologizing," he said.

She nodded. "I'm sorry for freaking out at you- _and _at Stella," she said.

"I forgive you. I'm just glad you're okay," the Manchester native replied.

"Me too. I'll talk to you later, okay?"

"Okay- see you soon."

She got up and hugged him. He returned the hug with the same of affection.

They soon broke apart, and Elizabeth waved goodbye and left to meet up with her friends, happy that everything was now somewhat back to normal.

* * *

After a night of fun with her friends, Stella returned back to the hotel. She changed into her pyjamas and climbed into bed. Stu was already there, ready to greet her.

"Congrats on your win, doll," he said.

"Thanks, babe. It felt so important to have that match- whether I won or not," she replied.

He smirked. "You definitely have a changing heart, don't you?"

She returned his smirk. "You're one to talk, aren't ya?"

He pulled her into a hug and kissed her passionately, happy that life was now normal.

"Goodnight, love."

"Goodnight, babes."

The End

* * *

**There ya go! I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it. :)**

**I would like for you to give me your imput if you would like a prequel to _I Seriously Have Feelings for You_. Let me know in the reviews! :)**

**Please review, and check out my other fanfictions on my profile! :D**

_- Elizabeth_


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